Williamstown Board Irked at Eatery for Failing to Meet Deadline
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Red Herring's missed deadline means it's getting a visit from the police chief today.The Selectmen on Monday night voted to call the restaurant's management on the carpet for failing to prove it had taken alcohol service training ordered after two minors were served during a sting earlier this year.
Red Herring, Thai Garden and '6 House Pub were all required by the Selectmen, acting as the Alcohol Licensing Commission, to have the licenseholder and server undergo TIPS training, along with any other employees not trained by June 1.
The other two restaurants met the deadline but the Spring Street eatery seemed to be held up because of a license transfer snafu at the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission. Administrative Assistant Kathy Poirot said the restaurant had changed managers, but the previous manager now living in the state of Florida was still on the license months later because the transfer was sitting on a desk in Boston because of missing paperwork.
Poirot said they apparently fired the errant server on the spot and seemed to think that was enough.
The Selectmen wondered who they should contact if the former manager was on the license but no longer at the restaurant.
Town Manager Peter L. Fohlin thought it more likely the company was the licenseholder, rather than the manager. It was incumbent on the restaurant to settle any bureaucratic issues with the ABCC, he said.
"Whoever is managing and working there, are they trained according to our mandate and following through on their responsibilities?" asked Selectman David Rempell.
Poirot pulled the license on file with the town that showed Walden Culinary LLC as the licenseholder.
"Walden Culinary needs to come to the next Selectmen's meeting to explain itself," said Fohlin, and bring evidence of compliance with the letter sent by the Selectmen.
The licenseholder, it appears, is the new manager Edward Smith, who is listed as manager and resident agent of Walden Culinary LLC in the state's corporate database.
The Selectmen voted to have their enforcing agent, the police, to summon Walden Culinary to the next meeting.
